Officials break ground on project to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to Gold Line stations in Boyle Heights and Little Tokyo

This handout from Metro shows the type of improvements to be implemented at stations along 1st Street. Please click above to see larger version.

One of the primary hurdles facing any rail transit project is the ability for people to easily reach the stations. With that goal in mind, a press event was held at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights on Tuesday morning for a project to improve pedestrian and cycling connections to eight Gold Line stations in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles over the next six years.

The project is funded with $30 million from Measure R that will be used to beautify and improve streets within one-third of a mile of the stations. Among the improvements: new sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and other work to make it easier and safer for pedestrians and bicyclists to reach the stations.

The work will be done along 1st Street in the city of Los Angeles as well as the 3rd Street portion of the Gold Line that is in East Los Angeles, which is overseen by Los Angeles County. There will eventually be improvements in Little Tokyo after the new underground station is completed as part of the Regional Connector project.

Metro Board Member and Los Angeles Councilman Jose Huizar has also been a big proponent for the project; the Gold Line passes through his Eastside district. Below is the news release from his office. After the jump is another handout from Metro showing work to be done on Bailey Street, which is adjacent to Mariachi Plaza.

this is great for the East side Gold Line extension. Thank you Metro for continuing to make the neighborhoods around Metro Stations more beautiful. LA keeps changing and I hope Metro continues leading the way to make LA more walkable, less trafficky and more fun to live and work in.

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